Nikon 1 J3. Review from the reader Radozhiva

Review Nikon 1 J3 with lens Nikon 1 NIKKOR VR 30-110mm f / 3.8-5.6 IF Ashperical и Nikon 1 NIKKOR VR 10-30mm f / 3.5-5.6 IF ED specially for Radozhiva, prepared Alexey Ovoshchnikov.

Nikon 1 J3

Nikon 1 J3

Good afternoon, today I am publishing a review on a compact camera with interchangeable lenses from Nikon, as well as a Nikkor 30-110 F 3.8-5.6 VR telephoto lens. Compare J3 with J1 and, as far as possible, compare with the DSLRs, share my impressions.

I often update my photo park and this camera has already gone from me to another owner. However, the camera as a whole was liked and in any case deserves a review and recall.

The camera has several advantages.

The camera shoots well on the machine!

This is useful for those who do not want to bother at all, but I strongly recommend always shooting JPEG + RAW for white balance not very accurate, and JPEG from this camera stretches very poorly (which is normal). Here it is worth noting the possibility of shooting in RAW (file format at the output .NEF). However, I liked working with NEF from this camera only in my native Nikon converter. Fortunately, it can be downloaded from the official site or installed from the disk.

The screen is modern, bright, clear and readable outdoors.

Unfortunately the screen is not rotary. And that would be right here!

Menu and software shell

focused on those who do not know how to use cameras of the Nikon system, a simple shell for a beginner (but for me it's a minus).

Nikon 1 J3

Nikon 1 J3

Compact and lightweight

carcasses of the camera and all lenses manufactured under it. If not for this plus, then why bother with all this with the new line of mirrorless?

Silent shooting

(advantage over DSLRs and even over other lines of mirrorless cameras). The camera does not have the usual mechanical shutter and everything happens without sound. No 'clicks' and 'clicks'. In certain situations, this can be a plus.

As many people know, the entire line of Nikon 1 cameras are mirrorless cameras with their own unique mount, that is, using such a camera and a regular DSLR is not the same thing. The reviewed model does not replace a full-fledged DSLR for you. Do not look for a catch here, everything is so and I do not want to deceive anyone. It's just that the camera is greatly curtailed in functionality and, which is also very important, in ease of use by an advanced user (a knowledgeable amateur or professional photographer).

At one time, some photographers took this camera in addition to their DSLR, but this is already in the past. Years passed and everything fell into place. Even old D80 or D700 today they can work wonderfully for a professional, and this mirrorless miracle is a useful toy and is more suitable for girls and grandmothers. And a powerful modern processor does not help. My conclusion is based on a comparison of how it is controlled and how a particular camera responds to the user's wishes. With this baby you will go to the menu too often if you decide to change the shooting parameters and you will lose time. In general, this camera is cut in usability so much that it is too much even for a mirrorless camera. The same old Sony NEX 5 (and its variations) will be more comfortable.

But still, the camera is not bad for its segment. I will write only the most basic for potential users. The camera has a 14 megapixel sensor. This is more than enough for a amateur photographer. This is even a lot, given the more than modest size of this matrix itself. Comparing this camera and the older J1, I concluded that an increase in megapixels and, accordingly, a decrease in the size of a single pixel on the matrix did not degrade image quality. This is already good! Crop factor of this sensor 2.7 in relation to the full frame. This means that by multiplying 14.2 by 2.7^2 we get the number of megapixels at the same density in a full frame. It turns out 104.5 megapixels (more than Nikon D850, Nikon Z7). Hence the conclusion - the camera has simply prohibitive pixel density for its price segment. This can be useful for macro photography. Once I made a funny portrait of a dog and, having processed the highlights and shadows, I printed the frame on A3 format for a photo exhibition. When viewed on paper, I did not see a good transfer of fine details and small things. The camera produces real 14 megapixels, but a little work with shadows, even in the Nikon converter, spoils the photo greatly (noises immediately climb out of the shadows). The result - a very low dynamic range brings the camera closer to soap dishes and phone cameras in this parameter. Well, there are no miracles, but still it's a shame.

So dog! The first photo - there is an active D-Lightning and there are strong noises. The second photo is not.

Nikon 1 J3

Nikon 1 J3

Nikon 1 J3

Nikon 1 J3

A few more frames of the camera and lenses.

Nikon 1 J3

Nikon 1 J3

The camera has a retractable built-in flash. I liked the opportunity to direct the flash up and get the scattered reflected light pulse, but the power is not enough. Well, a small camera is a very low-power flash.

I really did not like the 10-30 whale from this camera. Just look at the photo at the end of the article. I don’t know what it is, it may have been a lot and have been using this lens inaccurately, but the quality is horrible.

Nikon 1 J3

Nikon 1 J3

The telephoto lens turned out to be just wonderful, although you need to get used to it and you should not expect miracles from it. The quality is at the level of the good old Nikkor 55-200 VR but there is one thing but! If you cover the diaphragm at least to F / 9, then the quality drops due to diffraction, and then more. A small sensor - small lenses, small megapixels in addition will help you see a drop in detail ...

Nikon 1 J3

Nikon 1 J3

Nikon 1 J3

Nikon 1 J3

Nikon 1 J3

Nikon 1 J3

Nikon 1 J3

Nikon 1 J3

Nikon 1 J3

Nikon 1 J3

The ergonomics of the camera are very simple, the right side is completely free of connectors and additional controls.

Nikon 1 J3

Nikon 1 J3

On the left side there are activator flashes, communication ports with a computer are covered with plastic plugs.

In general, this is a logical continuation of the amateur line, a good, useful toy. Investing in a Nikon 1 system and buying high-aperture optics on the J3 for hundreds or thousands of euros is not a very good choice. May those who did this forgive me, but I am sure that these people are few.

In the process of writing this review, I recalled J1 and compared with J3 in work. I got the impression that the developers made the J3 even more amateur by redesigning the menu so that all the more or less advanced settings (at least viewing bar charts) are hidden away and you just do not use them.

Sample photos:

All cameras and lenses of this system:

Fix Lenses:

  1. Nikon 1 NIKKOR 10mm f / 2.8 (black and silver)
  2. Nikon 1 NIKKOR AW 10mm f / 2.8 (only black)
  3. Nikon 1 NIKKOR 18.5mm f / 1.8 (black, silver, white)
  4. Nikon 1 NIKKOR 32mm f / 1.2 (black, silver)

Zoom lenses

  1. Nikon 1 NIKKOR VR 6.7-13mm f / 3.5-5.6 (black and silver)
  2. Nikon 1 NIKKOR VR 10-30mm f / 3.5-5.6 (8 color options)
  3. Nikon 1 NIKKOR VR 10-30mm f / 3.5-5.6 PD-ZOOM (6 color options)
  4. Nikon 1 NIKKOR VR 10-100mm f / 4-5.6 (5 color options)
  5. Nikon 1 NIKKOR VR 10-100mm f / 4.5-5.6 PD-ZOOM (only black)
  6. Nikon 1 NIKKOR 11-27.5mm f / 3.5-5.6 (6 color options)
  7. Nikon 1 NIKKOR AW 11-27.5mm f / 3.5-5.6 (black, silver, white)
  8. Nikon 1 NIKKOR VR 30-110mm f / 3.8-5.6 (8 color options)
  9. Nikon 1 NIKKOR VR 70-300mm f / 4.5-5.6 N (only black)

Thank you all for your attention, if you do not understand something from the description or have questions, then write comments and I will try to help you.

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Comments: 58, on the topic: Nikon 1 J3. Review from the reader Radozhiva

  • anonym

    there was such a device. after six months of use sold.
    the matrix is ​​monstrously noisy, with noise even at the base ISO and with an extremely poor color, the semitones are dirty, the RAV has nothing to do with the usual RAV from crop and Nikon DSLRs where the Sony matrix is.
    The matrix in this system was made aptima by order of Nikon, and frankly, it turned out bad.
    a regular whale is soapy, has a design flaw due to which it simply stops working after some time, after many complaints Nikon was forced to make a break.
    crop 2.7 is just beyond good and evil.
    the system generated huge losses for nikon as it completely failed in sales and was eventually discontinued. Well, we will not remember about it. ))) this is one of the Nikon epic fails, why stir it up?

  • Igor K

    The camera gives a good picture, the author of the review was not lucky with the camera or lens.
    Filmed on j3 and j5, as well as most of the lenses in this series.

    Now this camera has lost its relevance, since Nikon has closed the line of ones.

    • anonym

      the camera, in principle, does not give a good picture, due to a bad matrix from aptima.
      Do not mislead people.
      there are RAVs on the network, look at the lack of halftones, color problems, noise at ISO 100, trimmed by the most I do not want DD.
      What place does this camera give a good picture? Share)))
      She merges cleanly all the chambers with 1 Sonya matrix. About comparison with crop 1.6 or 1.5 is better not to mention.
      And yes, the Nikon 1 NIKKOR 10mm f / 2.8 is also completely optical ... - no picture, no bokeh and full soap.
      Even smarts today give better quality. Who may need such a camera even at its price of $ 100?

      • Paul

        I want to speak out in defense of this line. This model may have been deliberately made more pop, the majority of people do not want to bother with the settings, they just need to poke a button and for everything to happen. This model also gives them a release from settings and the number of megapixels popular at that time for a label. In the reviews, I read that, in comparison with j1 (which I use), j3 in .jpg has a lame color rendition and the 10-30 lens itself is just ... a dull thing (I have a wide-angle aperture fix 10, it seems, does not make noise. In extreme conditions - understandable , for this serious devices are needed). I would not be surprised if this lens (10-30) was specially designed to play with the store for a while, and then, due to breakage or irritation, throw it out and buy another one.
        So, at one time I chose Nikon 1 j1 for its natural color reproduction (without these reddish, greenish and other shades), it has a beautiful reproduction of blue in the photo, a sharp picture and the pictures have, in general, natural colors.
        This line was positioned as a camera for everyday shooting / travel with the quality almost like that of SLR cameras, surpassing them in some functions. It worked, I think, perfectly well, at that time ... It also pulls well, you can just poke a button in your smartphone, and no suffering about the noise! Therefore, smartphones are taking the market away from such cameras for non-professional shooting, and in terms of professional shooting, everyone has their own individual needs and you can endlessly break spears about each camera.

        • Victor

          Still, not a single smartphone has yet learned how to shoot like the j1 with a screwed on 30-110 will do, and the dimensions of this bundle allow you to completely mark it in the pocket of a compact winter jacket (telephoto in your pocket, Karl!)

  • Full

    I am a long-time reader of Radozhiva, but have not seen reviews of the mirrorless system from Xiaomi. Maybe someone will make such a review? Very contradictory opinions on the Internet on this mirrorless

  • Gennadmy

    It's not the same for everybody. For example, I don't like it when a flip display is in the camera. It is necessary to shoot, and also to watch so that this display does not touch anything. I have two soap dishes Canon G7 and Canon G11, the G7 has a non-folding display, the G11 has a folding display, and because of this little thing I often take off the G7. A very good camera for everyday shooting. Of course, for serious things I take photos with a DSLR. And the G7 is always with me.

    • Rodion Eshmakov

      Canon has one of the most user-friendly flip display designs. At least the 600D was perfect. Most importantly, it could be folded inward. On the Sony A7s, this is not the case and there is a great risk of ditching the display. The protective glass has already been scratched.

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